All That's Left of Yesterday
by Lady Mac
Summary: A near-tragedy on the battlefield reveals a startling inevitability that will affect Kagome and Inuyasha more deeply than anything they have ever encountered before... IxK, maybe MxS. Rating changed for (very) mild language. ch. 2 is back
1. Introduction

All That's Left of Yesterday

(Introduction, Theme, and Variations)

by Lady Mac

Author's Note:

This is a product of a lovesick teenage girl's imagination and worst fears combining. I'm writing it to help me ease the pain of the impending day when I leave v2k3 (if you read the reviews for "Hitori" you'll see his name) and possibly never see him again. Making my favorite anime couple experience the same pain is sort of cathartic, but it also has a tendency to make the bittersweet-ness even more poignant. I've cried a lot over this. _A lot_. Only thing is that I don't know if this is affecting v2k3 like it's affecting me. So I made Inu and Kagome react sort of as I am, since that's fluffier and I'll do some chapters from each perspective.

So that's just some background. A warning for fans of my other work: this will _not_ have a happy, lovey-dovey ending like my other work (excepting the _Macbeth_ stuff, but that's a tragedy anyways). It _will_ be sad at the end, and it _will _be sad in the middle. If I do a good enough job, you will cry.

Please review - though this was started to help me, I always like critiques of my work. There will be as many chapters as I feel like writing, which will depend on how often I have "episodes" and how severe they are.

Thank you, and please try to enjoy.. or something. Hah.

Disclaimer: This fic was inspired by a true situation, but I don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter One

Introduction

Inuyasha landed hard on the ground and sheathed Tetsusaiga. _The battle is over_, he thought wearily and looked up at the falling bit of pink. He reached out and plucked it from the air. _We won_.

He relaxed suddenly, and with the adrenaline rush gone his senses were assaulted by the stench of blood and death. _Oh no_. "Kagome!"

He jumped up and his head spun. Human corpses littered the ground, and fresh human and demon blood was spattered everywhere. He tried to sniff out Kagome, but he couldn't find her scent among all the others. He stumbled in circles, sniffing and searching.

"Inuyasha."

He spun and saw Miroku standing up from among the carnage, clutching his right wrist with the opposite hand. "Kagome!" the hanyou begged. "Where is Kagome?"

"I don't know," said the monk. "She was off somewhere else fighting."

Something off behind Inuyasha made a soft sound, and he spun. "Kagome?"

A slight gasping sound came in response, and he knew it was her. He struggled across the battlefield towards her, trying to ignore the blood that was still leaking from his wounds and soaking his clothing. He hated to think what injuries she may have suffered ...

He reached the crest of a small hill and there she was below him, halfway covered by the body of a large demon. She was covered in blood, most of it her own, and she appeared barely conscious. He stumbled down to her. "Kagome..."

"In ... yash ..."

With the last of his strength he pushed the corpse off her, then fell to the ground at her side. "Kagome, oh, Kagome, you're alive!"

She coughed and closed her eyes, unable to speak. A small amount of blood escaped the corner of her mouth.

Sudden tears fell from his eyes, and he pressed his bloody cheek to hers. "Hold on, Kagome! Please! Don't ... don't let go. I need you, Kagome. Please, I need you so much." He pulled back and looked at her pained face. She had lost a lot of blood, and without help would surely die. He had to think of some way to help her. He racked his brain, trying desperately to think of something.

Then he remembered the jewel shard. Taking it between his fingers, he pressed it firmly into the large piece around Kagome's neck. "Please," he begged, "Midoriko, _onegai_. Use your power to save her. Don't let Kagome die. I _know_ you have the power, even without the whole jewel." He focused his whole will on the girl lying before him and the jewel between them. "Please," he whispered. "I ... I love her."

Light exploded form the unfinished jewel, and a voice rang in Inuyasha's sensitive ears. "I will grant your request."

Kagome's eyes opened slowly. "Mi ... Midoriko ..."

"It is I," the miko said. "But Inuyasha, though I will heal Kagome, I must warn you that she cannot always be with you. The time will come when you can no longer be together."

Inuyasha could barely comprehend what she said. "I ... what? Why?"

"When the jewel is completed and purified, the magic that brought Kagome to you will cease to be and she will return to her own world. It is an unavoidable part of the magic and cannot be changed."

"B-but, Midoriko..."

"I will grant you this request, Inuyasha, but there is nothing more I can do."

With that, the light vanished. Inuyasha set his head on Kagome's chest, and suddenly, unexpectedly, began to cry.


	2. Theme

All That's Left of Yesterday

(Introduction, Theme, and Variations)

Author's Note:

Thanks to all my reviewers! I've never gotten so many on the first day! Just one little thing: I don't usually do requests; i hardly ever write what _I'm_ inspired to. Also, the only things I know about Naruto are that it's insanely popular and involves ninjas. So sorry, eclipse-moon, i can't do that, since I have no idea what you said.

Also one little note: these will probably be short-ish chapters, so be forewarned.

The events of this chapter are based on something that happened to me about two weeks ago. I've changed it a little, but the basic premise is the same. If p, then q; where p is _Moulin Rouge_ and q is ... well, you'll see.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, _Moulin Rouge!_, or any of the songs associated with either. Also, the only one making anything off this is the Kleenex corporation. Sue them instead.

Chapter Two

Theme:

Why Does My Heart Cry?

It had been Kagome's idea to have what she called a "movie night." Inuyasha had no idea what a movie was, but she made it sound like fun. Sitting on the couch and watching the light-box might not be that great, but spending time alone with Kagome in the semi-darkness _was_. Oh, it most certainly was.

She plopped onto the couch beside him and set the bowl of popcorn in his lap. "Here. Try this."

He smiled at her as he shoved a handful into his mouth. "Not bad," he said, his words muffled.

"Good." She pressed "play" on the remote control, and the movie began.

"So, what is this, anyway?"

"It's called _Moulin Rouge_," Kagome explained. "It's a love story."

"Aw, is this going to be some sappy crap?"

She scowled at him. "Just watch it. I've never seen it before, so I don't know."

"I'm sorry."

"What?" She turned suddenly.

He nuzzled her head. "I'm sorry I said that about the movie. It hurt your feelings."

She smiled and scratched his ear. "That's okay. Now watch! I've heard Ewan McGregor is amazing in this!"

As it turned out, Ewan McGregor really _was_ amazing. Chills ran up Inuyasha's spine at the first huge swell of "The hills are alive," and his heart pounded through the Cancan. When Satine made her first sparkling entrance, he realized that Kagome was watching him. "What?"

She smiled. "It looks like you're enjoying this."

"Well, I don't really understand a lot of it," he admitted. "But the music is really good."

She leaned against him, and he put an arm around her, letting the intoxicating richness of it all draw him into its midst, with Kagome -- his love, his only -- beside him.

"We should be lovers," he crooned when the musical numbers slowed into dialogue.

"We can't do that," Kagome said, shaking her head - but he saw her smile.

"We should be lo-o-vers," he said again, squeezing her tightly. "And that's a fact."

His golden eyes met her bright grey ones and held them for a long moment. But just as he was about to lean in and capture her lips ... she turned back to the screen and snuggled warmly against his body. He sighed. This wouldn't be his last chance, he knew that.

And the film continued, a Spectacular Spectacular that held their attention in a vice grip until the Duke announced, "I don't like this ending" and "Le Tango de Roxanne" began. An unusual feeling came over the hanyou then. Christian's powerful voice over the cacophony pierced through him, and he was overwhelmed by a feeling of despair.

"Why does my heart cry/ Feelings I can't fight / You're free to leave me, just don't deceive me / And please believe me when I say I love you …"

He looked down at Kagome, who was reclined gently against his chest. Cautiously, he pulled his arms around her, and she pressed against him in return. "I love you," he whispered.

She looked up at him with a smile. "I love you, too." Then: "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head quickly, trying to drive the despair away. "It's nothing."

#&#-----

Kagome knew it wasn't nothing, but she held her tongue. This film had truly moved Inuyasha, and it wasn't even over yet. But she let him keep the strong facade, and settled back in for the ending.

"Come what may / Come what may / I will love you, until my dying day / Oh, come what may / Come what may / I will love you …"

Satine lay on the stage, and a choking sob forced its way out of Kagome's lungs. _This is me_, she realized. _We ... Inuyasha and I are just like this ... Someday ... we will be parted..._

The prospect made her drop suddenly from the euphoria that had been the first half into a new despair that she had not felt before. _I will be without Inuyasha. I will be without my Inuyasha!_ Tears fell suddenly from her eyes, and she hiccuped again.

"Kagome?"

"I ... I ... I ... Inuyasha!" She threw her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, losing all control and sobbing helplessly into his shirt. _No! I'll never let you go! I'll never let you go!_

"Kagome! Kagome, what's wrong?"

But she couldn't answer. The full force of the ancient miko's words had hit her without warning after many months, and she couldn't deal with it. She _had_ to finish the Shikon no Tama, but ... to do so would mean to leave the only person she had ever truly loved. Her heart, her life, her only. But to stay with him would be disaster - the jewel in its broken form brought so much distress, she could never abandon that. Her head told her it had to be this way -- but her heart was shattered into millions of pieces.

Strong arms wrapped around her trembling body and held her, while a deep, gentle voice tried in vain to soothe her.

A second wave of tears hit her, and she began crying harder. "Inuyasha ... I love you so much ..."

"Are you okay?" he pleaded. "The movie wasn't that sad, was it?"

She shook her head. "N ... no..."

"Then what is it?" This was beginning to frighten him.

"I ... I don't want to leave you."

__

Oh no. "Kagome ... Kagome, look at me." He held back his own tears as he touched her tear-stained face, willing her to listen.

She slowly raised her head, wiping her nose on her sleeve. _Why do I feel this way? I should be fine, I've known for so long; it's inevitable!_ More tears fell.

Inuyasha wiped her eyes with his thumbs. "Kagome, it's okay." His voice quavered as he spoke, as he whispered to her. "You'll never truly leave me. After what we've had, all the time we've spent together ... a little piece of you will always be with me, and me with you." Her eyes closed, and he set his forehead against hers. "Even when we're apart, even if, after we go our separate ways, we never see each other again ... what we have will always be a part of us. It's changed us, it's made us new people. _Better_ people."

Her face moved to his shoulder and she held him with all her might. "I love you ... so much ..."

"Kagome, please, don't cry."

"I can't help it! This ... this pain is ... unbearable."

"You don't need to think about the future." He hugged her tightly, murmuring gently to her. "Only think of what we have now. Only think of the present." He took a deep breath. She was really starting to affect him now. He closed his eyes and sang softly:

"Come what may / Come what may / I will love you/ Until my dying day."


End file.
